And so it was when Robin Williams and his wife, Marsha, offered to donate $80,000 to fix a retaining wall and median strip near their home in the city's Seacliff neighborhood that city supervisor Gerardo Sandoval balked, fearing Williams would be getting preferential treatment. Sandoval said he didn't want the city to go "down the slippery slope" of putting privately funded projects ahead of those needed in less affluent areas.

After city staff assured him that Williams' generosity would free up funds for poorer neighborhoods, Sandoval joined nine colleagues in voting unanimously to accept the comedian's gift.

Carson donating to his alma mater

Johnny Carson's donations to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln now total more than $11 million.

A recent $5 million endowment was given to support theater, film and broadcasting programs.

Annual income from the endowment fund will be used to support the Department of Theater Arts at the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts and the broadcast program at the College of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Carson, a 1949 graduate, hosted the "Tonight Show" for 30 years.

In November, he donated $5.3 million to UNL. Of that, $4.3 million was earmarked for renovating and expanding the Temple Building. In 1988, he donated money toward building the Lied Center on the south end of the downtown campus, and his name is affixed to a small theater that is connected to the Lied.